1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control apparatus for a motor-assisted bicycle which is capable of appropriately performing an assistive control process and a regenerative control process depending on the remaining stored energy level of a battery.
2. Description of Background Art
Japanese Patent No. 3642364 discloses that a bicycle with assistive power is assisted by energizing a motor to generate an assistive force depending on a pedaling torque applied to a crankshaft, and the motor is controlled to switch to a regenerated state if a detected peak of the pedaling torque is smaller than a pedaling torque determined depending on the vehicle speed of the bicycle.
According to the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3642364, if the peak of the pedaling torque applied to the crankshaft is smaller than a pedaling torque determined depending on the vehicle speed of the motor-assisted bicycle, then the motor switches to a regenerative state. However, nothing is taken into account about how the assistive control process and the regenerative control process are carried out when the stored energy level of the battery is lowered.